NCB Financial dominated the market on Thursday as prices of more stocks rose at the close of trading than those declining, but big losses in a number of stocks pressured the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and pushed the market indices down.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,741.60 points to 424,462.68, the Main Index fell by 2,536.99 points to 387,308.51 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.60 points to settle at 102.63.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands compared to 44 on Wednesday and closed with prices of 15 stocks rising, 12 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The average PE ends at 15.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 40 percent fewer shares than Wednesday with a 49 percent decline in the value of stocks changing hands. At the close 9,736,055 shares traded for $369,213,753 compared to 16,137,399 units at $724,067,008 on Wednesday. NCB Financial led trading with 22.8 percent after exchanging 2.22 million shares, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 19.6 percent for 1.91 million units, Transjamaican Highway with 16.1 percent market share for 1.57 million units and Wigton Windfarm closed with 12.9 percent market share with 1.26 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 263,137 units changing hands at $9,978,750 for each security, compared to 366,759 shares at $16,456,068 on Wednesday. Month to date average trade ends at 267,957 units at $5,429,235 in contrast to 268,282 units at $5,122,619 on Wednesday. Trading for October averaged 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments shed 50 cents to end at $84, in an exchange of 3,848 shares, Berger Paints lost 30 cents to settle at $11.55 trading 7,643 stock units, Caribbean Cement climbed $5.99 to $59.99, after exchanging 13,531 stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $3.05 to $40.75, with a transfer of 8,110 stock units, First Rock Capital gained 89 cents to $12.89, with 1,081 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers advanced $1.20 to $27.50, in trading 102 units. 
Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 68 cents to settle at $19, with investors switching ownership of 36,204 shares, Kingston Wharves dropped $3.90 to $45 in trading 55,000 shares, Palace Amusement dived $34.99 to $1,265.01, in an exchange of 42 units. Pan Jam Investment shed 76 cents to end at $63.24 after trading 5,898 units, Proven Investments settled at $38.50, with gains of $1.64, in clearing the market with 2,642 units, Sagicor Group gained 40 cents to close at $48.50, with 38,536 shares crossing the exchange. Seprod ended at $62, with a loss of 50 cents trading 5,503 units and Supreme Ventures rose 55 cents to $15.90, with an exchange of 26,291 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
